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Larry-Boy Cartoon Series Story Treatment
This is a bible treatment of the Larry-Boy cartoon series, which contains content which might've been or not used in the final version. The treatment can be founded on the DVD Rom features of Angry Eyebrows. Description Verse: "Don’t let the sun set on your anger" Nugget: If you hold on to your anger, IT will hold onto you! A super-villain creates diabolical "angry eyebrows," flying bat-like creatures that attach themselves to the foreheads of Bumblyburg’s citizens, driving them out-of-control with anger. The condition: The person must be holding a grudge against someone else (not forgiving or releasing them from wrong), and must hold the grudge overnight. The next day, they’d better watch out for the eyebrows! The key to stopping the eyebrows is releasing their anger and forgiving those who have wronged them. Important concepts Larry-Boy is in super-hero school, taking night classes to polish up on his skills. The instructor teaches them to be wary if different issues (anger, pride, etc.) and to watch out for various super-villains. He also reads wisdom regarding the day’s lesson from the Super-hero Handbook. (Which is the Bible, though not specifically named. We could actually give the references for verses quoted by saying, "Turn in your Super-Hero Handbook to Section 41, chapter 4, line 15," which, in this case would be Mark 4:15. The core fans would love it, and the rest of the world won’t say, "Yuck! The Bible!") Much of the show revolves around the Bumblyburg newspaper (The Daily Bumble?) Bob the Tomato is the editor. Vicki Cucumber is a photographer, and a potential love interest for Larry/Larry-Boy. Junior Asparagus, while still in grade school, writes for his grade school paper and frequently submits news items to the Daily Bumble, which Bob sometimes prints. Larry is actually the paper’s janitor, not because he needs the money, but because Alfred believes it’s a great way for him to be in touch with what’s going on in Bumblyburg. It also keeps Larry out of Alfred’s hair during the day. Alfred has installed a 2-way radio in LB’s mop, which always rings at inopportune moments. Folks at the paper often comment about the odd janitor off in the corner talking into his mop. They do notice, however, that he is astonishingly good with a plunger. Larry-Boy has several arch-enemies in this show… parodies of typical super-villains. This show stars the "evil genius" type super-villain, who enjoys coming up with new names for himself as much as he enjoys making trouble for Larry-Boy. Every show he appears in, he has a new name for himself. Perhaps LB discovers he’s about to strike again by finding the villain’s old letterhead and business cards in a dumpster somewhere. Whenever he’s about to strike, he creates a new identity and so, of course, needs all-new letterhead and business cards. While we considered, as a twist, having the citizens of Bumblyburg aware that Larry is also Larry-Boy (but having Larry unaware that they know), I’m leaning away from that at this point. While I think that could create some fun business for an episode or two, long-term I think we’d generate more business from the more typical secret identity dynamic. Story Start with a LB action sequence – where he saves the day, ala the Milk Money Bandit sequence in Rumor Weed. After saving the day, Alfred points out that Larry is late for work as a janitor at the Bumblyburg newspaper. Alfred explains again why he has to do that job. Editor Bob is mad that he is late. Junior brings in story of "angry bees" in park – around the kids’ favorite fishing hole. They can’t even fish there anymore. Bob isn’t interested. Vicki Cucumber brings in story of a super-villain back on the loose. Bob runs with that one. Larry overhears. Larry has to go to his night class. (Super-hero class at the Bumblyburg Community College.) On the way out he bumps someone – the night watchman, gatekeeper or some other quiet, lowly employee, who gets rather angry with Larry and won’t let it go, even though Larry apologizes. Someone is watching Larry leave through a telescope or binoculars. It’s the super-villain, a Lex Luthor type evil genius. He mutters about getting even with Larry’s friend Larry-Boy because he’s SO ANGRY with him… he’s going to make all of Bumblyburg angry!! In conversation with his sniveling, "Igor" like assistant, he unveils his latest creation – "angry eyebrows" – bat-like contraptions (mechanical or biological?) that will fly through the city and attach themselves to the foreheads of anyone holding a grudge overnight (letting the "sun go down on their anger"), making them PERMANENTLY angry! Har har! He explains how this will undo the fabric of civilization and, ultimately, get back at Larry-Boy for having him locked away for so long. He demonstrates by releasing a pair of eyebrows towards a dummy with a painted angry face. The eyebrows fly across the lab and smack the dummy in the forehead loudly, knocking it over. When Igor rights the dummy, it looks even angrier with the new angry eyebrows firmly attached. The villain releases maybe a dozen pair of eyebrows into the night sky. Larry-Boy arrives a little late for his super-hero class at the Bumblyburg Community College. The room is filled with about 20 vegetable super-heroes in full regalia, focusing their attention toward one senior super-hero or professor type at the front of the room. He is starting a lecture on anger management for super-heroes. Each super-hero present is from a different city, almost like patron saints. Larry-Boy is Bumblyburg’s super-hero. The instructor teaches them about anger… setting up the lesson and, though LB doesn’t get it at the time, the solution. Uses verse "Don’t let the sun go down on your anger" and the nugget "If you hang on to your anger, your anger will hang onto you!" LB doesn’t really pay attention. (See proposed dialogue following story synopsis.) LB leaves, and on his way out sees some bat-like creatures flying through the night sky. Hmm. Next day: Guy who was mad at Larry shows up at work. He gripes about Larry to himself, and is immediately smacked on the forehead by angry eyebrows. He goes ballistic and runs off in search of Larry. Elsewhere in Bumblyburg, a woman opens her apartment window, griping about guests at a dinner party the previous night. She’s smacked in the forehead, too. Larry shows up at work at the newspaper. Vicki comes into Bob’s office, talking about fights breaking out around Bumblyburg involving people with really bushy eyebrows. Someone says, "Like THOSE?!?" They turn to see the angry guy running down the hall toward Larry. They hold him back, or call security or something. Then they turn on the TV news. More reports of fighting. Suddenly the weatherman is smacked with eyebrows, and jumps over the anchor desk onto the news anchor, complaining that he/she insulted the tie he wore last week. (Or something.) Everyone at the newspaper realizes this is more serious than they thought. Just then Larry’s mop rings. (Alfred has installed a 2-way radio in it.) It’s Alfred, who’s tracking the news from home. It’s time for Larry-Boy! Larry excuses himself and heads home. Scene with Larry and Alfred in the Larry-Cave. Perhaps super-villain appears on screen? Or did he appear on TV after the newscast? (Maybe that’s better.) Alfred gives LB a new gadget or two to combat the eyebrows, and sends him out. LB arrives at the heart of Bumblyburg where the conflict is raging. Everyone’s yelling at everyone else. He pulls someone out of the fracas and tries to remove the eyebrows. (Big tweezers? Waxing?) Nothing works. He tries pulling people apart with his plungers, but everyone starts getting angry with HIM for not letting them continue their conflict, and soon the mob is surrounding LB. LB yells for help, and Alfred tries desperately to think of something. LB then remembers that his last class was about anger… and all these people seem pretty angry. LB doesn’t remember what he learned, though. He wasn’t paying very close attention. That’s okay, Alfred says, because he installed a camera in LB’s helmet that records everything LB sees! Cool! Alfred accesses the file in the Larry-Computer and fast forwards to the end of the professor’s talk. (The Bible verse and the line, "If you hang onto your anger, your anger will hang onto you.") Is it a clue?!? It dawns on Alfred that the eyebrows won’t leave these people until they let go of their anger… until they forgive the one who wronged them. So LB needs to persuade one of these really angry people to forgive their offender. He gets the mob to listen long enough to hear his plea, and finally someone gives it a try. Immediately, the eyebrows pop off his forehead, and fly up into the sky. His anger is gone. Now everyone tries it, and eyebrows are popping all over the place. Soon the crowd is calm and smiling. But just then the shadow of a giant pair of eyebrows falls over the crowd, and the voice and image of the super-villain crackles to life on a "jumbotron" on one of the buildings. He’s prepared a special treat for LB, the "mother of all eyebrows." "But I’m not angry!" LB says. The villain reminds LB of something he did to him in a previous conflict… scratched the Larry-Mobile with his super-villain car or something. LB remembers and is furious. The giant eyebrows start winging towards him. The crowd urges him to "Forgive! Forgive!" Just in the nick of time, LB shakes off his anger and says, "I forgive you!" The giant eyebrows sweep back up into the sky with the rest of the flock. The villain is thwarted, but laughs and announces that his flock of angry eyebrows will be circling over Bumblyburg forever… waiting for someone to hold a grudge… and eventually… they WILL! Ha ha! Oh, yes! The eyebrows will strike again!!! Larry-Boy says, "Not if I can help it!" and jumps into his car. Before pulling away, he looks up at the eyebrows and yells, "I AM SOOOOO ANGRY!!" All the eyebrows sweep down towards his car. With Junior in the passenger seat, they race away, eyebrows in pursuit. Following Junior’s directions, LB drives into a wooded area, where they find a small pond taped off with police warning tape. A sign says, "Danger! Angry Bees!" LB and Junior jump out of the car and race to the edge of the pond. Junior is confused, not knowing what LB is planning. The eyebrows head straight for LB and Junior. LB picks up a rock, and throws it at the large bees’ nest on the other side of the pond. A direct hit rattles the hive! Then, as the eyebrows near, he tilts his head and fires a plunger straight up into a tree, grabbing a branch. He grabs Junior and quickly hoists the two of them up into the tree, just in time for the eyebrows to whiz by. At the same moment, a storm of angry bees streams out of the hive and sees, of course, the flock of eyebrows. The eyebrows sense the anger of the bees. The two flocks head straight for each other as LB and Junior watch from the tree. "Oh, great!" Junior says, "Now those bees are going to be even ANGRIER!!" "Yes," LB replies, but they’ll also be too heavy to fly!" Just then the two swarms meet over the middle of the pond. Each eyebrow smacks into a bee, attaching firmly. The eyebrows stop flapping, of course, once their attached, and the bees drop quickly into the pond, eyebrows and all. Once all the splashing is done, the threat of the angry eyebrows, AND the angry bees, is over. Bumblyburg is safe, and so is the fishing hole. Wrap it up with a medal for LB or something. Some funny business. Maybe an old veggie guy comes out with really bushy eyebrows, and everyone freaks. I dunno. Wrap it up and send them home. Proposed dialogue for the Super-hero Class scene LB comes in late, and sits down at a desk next to a tomato super-hero (not Bob). Their interaction goes something like this: LB: (whispering) Hey… what’d I miss? TOMATO: (Italian - Father Guido Sarducci accent) Not much. He just started the lecture. LB: Great. (pause) I’m Larry-Boy. From Bumblyburg. Who are you? TOMATO: The Scarlet Tomato. From Puggslyville. LB: (eyeing him oddly) "The Scarlet Tomato?" Isn’t that… um, redundant? TOMATO: (confused) What do you mean? LB: Well… Scarlet… Tomato. Red… Tomato. It’s redundant. (Tomato just stares) Now, "The Green Hornet." That works, ya see, because… well, most hornets aren’t green. TOMATO: (stares for a beat, then dryly) I am not a hornet. LB stares back for a moment, then gives up and turns to the lecture. The lecturer talks about the damaging effect of a super-hero not letting go of their anger. He uses chalk drawings or simple overheads to illustrate the damage an out-of-control super-hero can create on a small town. Back to LB and the Scarlet Tomato. LB: (whispering) So… got any super-powers? TOMATO: Oh, yeah! I got two great ones! I can fly… AND I can defy gravity! LB: (just stares for a long moment) Isn’t that redundant? TOMATO: (confused again) I don’t know what you mean… Back to the instructor, who directs them to the page in their Super-Hero Handbooks that deals with anger. He reads from the page: "Do not let the sun go down on your anger." (Eph 4:26) Back to LB and the tomato. LB: (trying one more time) Got any good gadgets? TOMATO: Oh, you betcha! My stem can shoot out a POWERFUL LAZER BEAM! And my belt buckle can shoot out a POWERFUL LAZER BEAM! The tomato smiles broadly. Larry-Boy just stares, unable to speak. The lecturer wraps up with a pithy statement on our theme… "Remember, heroes, if you hold on to your anger, IT will hold onto you!!" We could also teach a little more about anger in this scene by having a super-hero or two ask a question about the topic. For example… Electro-Melon is a big, "Hulk-like" watermelon charged with static electricity. He ‘crackles’ every now and then. Electro-Melon: Sometimes I get very angry. Professor: Yes, we ALL do. It’s not wrong to be angry, Electro-Melon. It’s what you DO with your anger that’s important. Category:Research Category:Larry-Boy Category:DVD Features